brighten

English

Etymology

From bright +‎ -en.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹaɪtən/
  • IPA^(key): [ˈbɹaɪ̯ʔn̩]
• Rhymes: -aɪtən
• Homophone: Brighton

Verb

brighten (third-person singular simple present brightens, present participle brightening, simple past and past participle brightened)

1. (transitive) To make bright or brighter in color.

   We brightened the room with a new coat of paint.

2. (transitive) To make illustrious, or more distinguished; to add luster or splendor to
   • (Can we date this quote by Jonathan Swift and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     The present queen would brighten her character, if she would exert her authority to instill virtues into her people.

3. (transitive, figuratively) To make more cheerful and pleasant; to enliven

   to brighten one's prospects;  Having Mark around the place really brightens things up.

   • (Can we date this quote by Ambrose Philips and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     An ecstasy, which mothers only feel, / Plays round my heart and brightens all my sorrow.

4. (intransitive) To grow bright, or more bright in color; to clear up

   The sun starts to brighten around this time of the year.  The sky brightened as the storm moved on.

5. (intransitive) To become brighter or more cheerful in mood

   She brightened when I changed the subject.

   • Template:RQ:BLwnds TLdgr

     Then his sallow face brightened, for the hall had been carefully furnished, and was very clean. ¶ There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.

6. To make acute or witty; to enliven.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Johnson to this entry?)

Derived terms

• brightener
• brighten up

Translations

make brighter in color

• German: aufhellen (de)
• Korean: 밝히다 (ko) (balkida), 밝게 (ko) (balge) 하다 (ko) (hada)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: clarear (pt), iluminar (pt)
• Slovene: posvetliti

add luster or splendor

• Bulgarian: лъскам (bg) (lǎskam)
• German: schönen (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maori: whakapīata

make more cheerful

• German: aufhellen (de)
• Korean: 밝게 하다 (balge hada)
• Maori: whakawana, whakahihiko
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: animar (pt)
• Slovene: razvedriti

become brighter in color

• Bulgarian: прояснявам се (projasnjavam se)
• German: sich aufhellen (de)
• Korean: 밝아지다 (ko) (balgajida)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: clarear (pt)

become brighter in mood

• German: sich aufhellen (de)
• Korean: 환해지다 (hwanhaejida), 밝아지다 (ko) (balgajida)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: animar-se
• Slovene: razvedriti

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Kannada: ^{(please verify)} ಹೊಳೆ (kn) (hoḷe)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Anagrams

• berthing, bringeth